NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 17 - Aaron Rai emerged from a crowded leaderboard at the PGA Championship to capture the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday, ending a 104-year wait for an English winner of the event. Competing at Aronimink Golf Club on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Rai produced a composed final round and left the field in his wake.
Rai posted a five-under-par 65 for the final round, finishing the tournament at nine under overall and three strokes ahead of Jon Rahm, who shot 68, and Alex Smalley, who closed with a 70. Rai’s week featured a steady progression in scoring - he became the first player in PGA Championship history to improve his score in each successive round.
Standing on the 18th green with the gallery watching, Rai reflected on an unexpected triumph. "To be standing here is definitely outside of my wildest imagination," he said, acknowledging the remarkable arc of his week.
How the final round unfolded
The final day began with a remarkably tight leaderboard: a tournament-record 22 players started the round within four shots of the lead. That closeness suggested a likely playoff for much of the day, but Rai had different plans.
Playing in the third-to-last pairing and beginning the round two shots behind overnight leader Alex Smalley, Rai opened his bid for the title with a dramatic 40-foot eagle putt at the par-five ninth. Two holes later, after an approach that left him roughly four feet from the hole, he converted a birdie to move into a share of the lead with Matti Schmid.
Schmid’s bogey at the 10th gave Rai the outright lead. With a cluster of challengers pressing, Rai built momentum on the back nine: a delicate bunker up-and-down at the par-four 13th produced a birdie that pushed him to seven under and established a two-shot advantage.
After Schmid closed the gap to within one, Rai answered again with a birdie at the par-five 16th, a swing that put him in firm position for the title. The defining moment arrived at the par-three 17th, where Rai holed a 68-foot birdie putt that the coverage described as a clincher. He later said he had not set out to hole the putt, but that the shadow of the pin helped him read the final portion of the stroke. That mammoth birdie effectively sealed the victory and capped his charge.
By the time Rai’s final putt dropped there were still two pairings on the course. His name was already being prepared for engraving on the Wanamaker Trophy, yet Rai’s reaction on the green was relatively restrained compared with the exuberant scenes often associated with major wins. The Wolverhampton-born player now stands as the first English winner of the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919.
Contenders, cards and late surges
Jon Rahm, listed as a LIV Golf player in coverage, signed off with a 68 but managed only a single birdie on the back nine, limiting his comeback. Smalley, who had begun the day with a two-shot lead, produced a late eagle at the 16th to register his best major finish to date.
Two-time champion Justin Thomas, teeing off nearly four hours before the final pairing and starting the day six shots back, matched Rai’s final-round number with his own five-under-par 65. Thomas’ score was sufficient to place him in a three-way share of fourth, alongside Ludvig Aberg, who shot 69, and Matti Schmid, who also carded a 69.
Rory McIlroy, who retained his Masters title roughly a month earlier, closed with a 69 and finished one shot further back in seventh place. He shared that position with Xander Schauffele, who shot 69, and Cameron Smith, who posted a 68 and is noted in reports as a LIV Golf competitor.
Defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler, who started the day five shots off the lead, closed with a 69 to finish in a tie for 14th.
Notable rounds and records
Kurt Kitayama, playing with the early starters, carded a sizzling 63 in the final round. That score ties the major championship record for the lowest final-round score and makes him the second player to shoot a 63 in the final round of a PGA Championship, joining Brad Faxon’s 1995 effort. Kitayama’s 63 is also the ninth instance of a 63 being recorded in the final round across golf’s four majors.
Final leaderboard highlights
- Aaron Rai - 65 (final round), nine under for the week, champion
- Jon Rahm - 68 (final round), three shots behind
- Alex Smalley - 70 (final round), tied for second
- Justin Thomas - 65 (final round), tied for fourth with Ludvig Aberg and Matti Schmid
- Rory McIlroy - 69 (final round), seventh place tie
- Scottie Scheffler - 69 (final round), tied for 14th
Rai’s week at Aronimink will be remembered for its steady improvement, clutch short-game recovery, and a late, very long birdie that ultimately produced the margin of victory.